Article from:
23 October 2007
SUE NEALES - Chief Reporter
AT LAST: Karen Jones at Galileo House yesterday.
A NEW centre dedicated to helping Tasmanian children who have been sexually abused overcome their trauma was officially opened yesterday in North Hobart.
Galileo House has been the dream of Karen Jones, director of the independent Sexual Assault Support Service, to provide a special haven where children affected by sexual abuse can be counselled quietly and compassionately away from adult sufferers.
The dream began to turn into reality in the lead-up to the March 2006 state election when Ms Jones effectively both the State Government and the Liberal Opposition about the drastic need for more funding to combat child sexual abuse.
Premier Paul Lennon, who opened Galileo House yesterday, committed an extra $450,000 a year to SASS at the election, increasing total funding for the highly regarded community group to $1.1 million a year.
Ms Jones said yesterday this extra funding has allowed the free community service to convert the complete North Hobart house into a special children's centre, and to employ an extra four specialist child-sex assault counsellors.
Boys as well as girls will be counselled at Galileo House, with a staggering 300 children a year in southern Tasmania alone referred to SASS as victims of sexual assault and abuse.
"This has been a long time coming," a delighted Ms Jones said yesterday.